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Tree displays honor centenarian

Tana Sheets, right, who coordinated the tree event for the Historical Society, is joined by Marlys Falkner at the event. The pair is standing in front of the Music Everywhere tree decorated by Beverly Young in honor of the Stewart County Schools Bands.(Photo: The Stewart Houston Times/Carole Blish)

DOVER, Tenn. – A record number of people – about 225 – came through the W.D. Sykes Museum on the weekend of Dec. 6-7 to view the annual A Brier Rose Christmas, with over 35 Christmas trees and displays celebrating the life of centenarian Minerva Willouise Williams.

Community folks, as well as groups, organizations and churches, exercised their creativity as they decorated the trees and horizontal surfaces in the Dover museum.

The museum has been open weekends throughout the Christmas season for people to see the displays. There is only one weekend left – Dec. 27-28, from 12-5 p.m. – in which to visit the museum to see the festive decorations.

One of Williams’ favorite feathered friends is the owl, and two of the trees, decorated by Ann Shepherd of Dover Auto Body and the Stewart County Public Library, used the wise old owl as their theme. Since she has a predilection for birds, Mary Williams and Tammy Gruman decorated a Birds of a Feather tree.

Tana Sheets decorated a mantle with gardenias, Williams’ favorite flower, and Shepherd elegantly decorated a tree with gold to remember the golden friendships she shares in Stewart County.

Williams’ faith is central to her life, and Earlene Bagwell made sure she represented that in her Christ the Savior is Born tree.

As one of the founders of the Imagination Library, the Stewart County Friends of the Library made sure she was honored with a tree.

Heather Baggett, Laura Shemwell and Kathryn Keatts made sure that her favorite color, green, was the main feature of the tree. Stewart County Arts and Heritage Council made sure the long-time piano player and teacher had an I Love Music tree.

Debbie Wallace’s dental office decorated a Queen of Hearts tree for the avid bridge player, and Joanne Rosengrant and Dawn and Mike Werner dressed up a Fort Campbell tree honoring Williams’ husband’s World War II service.

She was honored by Bonnie Crutcher, Nelma Crutcher and Jane link for being a 70-year member of the Daughters of the Confederacy, and Cindy, Jenny and Amanda Cook and Shana Elkins marked her attendance at the premier of Gone With the Wind with a cleverly-executed tree.

Many others decorated trees for the event, which was just one more way that Stewart County has celebrated Christmas 2014.